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Capitol Report
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#Listrak\DateStampLong#
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The latest news from the State Capitol
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Please do not reply directly to this email, as it returns to an unmanned account.
You are welcome to contact me through this link.
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Upcoming District Events
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Around the 139th
I had such a wonderful time at the Hawley Senior Center’s annual picnic. Many thanks to the Wayne County Area on Aging Director Mary Ursich for the hospitality. I was joined by Wayne County Commissioners Brian Smith and Jim Shook.
Camp Oneka on Fairview Lake in Tafton is quite the gem! Camp Oneka has been welcoming girls ages 7-16 since 1908, changing the lives of countless campers. Thank you to Johnny & Rachel Waszczak for taking me on a tour of their camp. The camp offers a multitude of activities for the girls such as tubing, sailing, field games, climb the tower, create art and crafts projects, and act or sing on Oneka’s stage. One of the best parts of camp is the fun of finding new friends and being part of one of the oldest, and most treasured traditions at Camp Oneka is the Red-White competition.
I had the great pleasure in attending the Wayne County Commissioners meeting last week. Peter Hooker was honored for his 20th work anniversary serving the county as Deputy Director of Emergency Management Services. Peter’s family was in attendance along with Director Steve Price. Congratulations Peter!
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Job Fair this Week
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Supporting PA Agriculture
Agriculture is our state’s top industry, contributing $132.5 billion to our state economy annually and supporting more than 593,000 jobs paying wages of $32.8 billion. As importantly, it helps put food on our tables every single day.
Recognizing the value of agriculture in our Commonwealth, this year’s state budget continues to fund key ag-related programs. It includes $34 million for agriculture preparedness and response to address costs related to the avian influenza outbreak or similar crises affecting our farmers.
Funding for the “agricultural excellence” line item is increased to $4.1 million with a portion of the increase directed toward the beef industry. Finally, the budget directs more than $26.6 million to the State Food Purchase Program, which helps counties purchase and distribute food to low-income individuals and families.
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Celebrating Agriculture at Ag Progress Days
Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, the Commonwealth’s largest outdoor agricultural exposition, will be held next week, from Tuesday, Aug. 13, through Thursday, Aug. 15, at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, 2710 W. Pine Grove Road in Pennsylvania Furnace.
The event is hosted by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and showcases educational programs, current research, and the latest innovations in agricultural equipment and technology. It features more than 400 exhibitors from the United States and Canada.
Both parking and admission are free. Learn more here.
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Hearings Highlight Successes in PA Education
The House Republican Policy Committee launched a series of three “Back to School” hearings this week to highlight good things happening in education.
The series kicked off Tuesday at the Centennial School in Bethlehem, located in Lehigh and Northampton counties. The school offers a unique program for students with emotional disturbance and autism, while also preparing high-quality special education teachers to enter the workforce in Pennsylvania.
The committee then met at the Mechanicsburg Area School District to highlight what public schools in Cumberland County are doing to provide a great education to their students while respecting taxpayers.
Common themes at the first two hearings include teacher shortages, especially those certified in special education, and addressing students' mental health. Accountability of school performance and finances is also at the forefront of these discussions.
A final hearing is planned for Tuesday, Aug. 13, at the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology in Jamison, Bucks County.
For video and other materials pertaining to the hearings, visit www.PAGOPPolicy.com.
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A Snapshot of the State’s Finances
House Republican Appropriations Committee Chairman Seth Grove has issued the first financial brief of the 2024-25 fiscal year. As with the previous fiscal year, this brief will keep track of revenues compared to the official estimate and to the prior fiscal year. It will also continue to track agency spending of current and prior year funds, as well as keep up-to-date information on General Fund and Rainy Day Fund surpluses. Check it out here.
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Call Before You Dig
Aug. 11 marks National 811 Day – a day dedicated to reminding residents, contractors and utility workers of the importance of calling 8-1-1 before digging to help ensure the safety of excavation projects across the state.
Every time an underground utility line is hit, there is a risk to the contractors or homeowners who are doing the digging; to utility workers and emergency responders who are mobilized to deal with the damage; and to bystanders who live, work or travel near the locations of the incidents.
State law requires contractors and residents to contact PA One Call at least three business days prior to excavation – triggering alerts to all utilities within an intended digging area and prompting utilities to mark where their facilities are located. Pennsylvanians can dial 8-1-1 to connect with the One Call system, while out-of-state residents or businesses can call 1-800-242-1776.
Learn more at www.PA1call.com.
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Pennsylvanians with Disabilities are ‘ABLE’ to Save with PA ABLE
This Wednesday, Aug. 14, is the first-ever National ABLE Savings Day! Our state’s PA ABLE program, like other ABLE programs across the country, gives individuals with disabilities a way to save money for the future without impacting important benefits like Medical Assistance (Medicaid) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
There are also great tax benefits for saving with PA ABLE, including:
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Contributions are deductible from PA state income taxes. |
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Earnings and contributions grow tax-free. |
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No taxes are owed for qualified withdrawals. |
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Accounts aren’t subject to the state inheritance tax. |
Pennsylvanians with a qualifying disability can start saving with PA ABLE today. There are seven savings and investment options to choose from. PA ABLE account owners, family and friends can contribute up to $18,000 annually to a PA ABLE account. The savings can be used to pay for a wide variety of disability-related expenses including rent, groceries, health care, vehicle adaptations, assistive technology and more.
To celebrate ABLE Savings Day, PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity, PA ABLE experts at the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, and ABLE experts from around the country are hosting free webinars to help everyone understand what ABLE programs are and how they can start saving.
Upcoming webinars include:
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Monday, Aug. 12, at 2 p.m.: ABLE Accounts 101. |
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Tuesday, Aug. 13, at 6 p.m.: Learn About PA ABLE. |
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Wednesday, Aug. 14, at 2 p.m.: How Can Employers Promote ABLE as an Accessibility Tool? |
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Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 2 p.m.: I Have an ABLE Account, Now What? |
For more information about PA ABLE, visit www.PAABLE.gov or call 855-529-ABLE (2253).
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Do you have a question, concern or problem that needs to be resolved? Reach out by phone or email or stop by the office. My staff and I are here to help you.
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